More than Just Snavely Trail

This map shows the Snavely Ford Trail as well as trails through the fields just across from the start and finish of the Snavely Ford Trail. The area marked "Parking" is the parking area for Burnside Bridge, as well as for Snavely Ford Trail.

Walking straight into the field that's there right by the parking spaces for the buses will take you to three monuments which have until now been rather hard to reach. It's only recently that the property that they're on has been acquired by the National Park Service. The routes through the fields sometimes change depending on the season. It's about a half an hour walk to go out and see all three monuments. There's also a very nice specimen of a Hackberry tree that you can get to as well.

There's also an opening in the fence along Branch Avenue through which you can get to these monuments, however, there is really no place to park there.

Parking is at: N39 26.977 W77 43.979
Ohio 11th: N39 26.892 W77 44.241
Ohio 12th: N39 27.118 W77 44.277
Connecticut 16th: N39 26.876 W77 44.370

---

The Plaque on the 16th Connecticut was vandalized:

From: http://www.civilwarnews.com/archive/articles/upd_antiet_monum.htm:

"In 1997, Company G, 14th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, 1862-1865, Inc. and the Connecticut Historical Society raised over $11,000 to replace the bronze plaque on the monument to the 16th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Monument.

Like the 14th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, the 16th CVI mustered into service in August 1862. Even more ill-prepared than the 14th, they were part of Harland's brigade which crossed the Antietam to the south of the lower bridge at Snavely's Ford and ended up in Otto's corn field on the afternoon of Sept. 17. As part of the Union's left flank, they were mercilessly attacked and "used up" by Gen. A. P. Hill's veteran troops and therefore sustained extremely high number of casualties for their first "outing" as a regiment.

This monument's very artistic and sophisticated bronze plaque had been stolen. Bruce Papitto labored over 200 hours creating the clay and plaster models, then after two castings, spent more time cleaning and chasing the piece. Thanks to a very large gift from a donor who had an affinity for the Ninth Corps, the project concluded in 1998.

The bronze was presented to Antietam National Battlefield Superintendent John Howard in September of that year in the Christ Reformed Church, UCC. The church is known for the stained glass "Connecticut" windows presented by survivors of the 16th CVI, several of whom convalesced there following their "baptism by fire." "

See also: http://members.tripod.com/bliss_barn/preservation.html